Tourism Minister commits to reopening Shangri-La Villingili Resort, willing to amend laws if necessary

Tourism Minister Ibrahim Faisal announced on Wednesday plans to reopen Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort, even if it requires amending current laws.

Faisal made this commitment in response to a question raised in parliament by Ibrahim Nazil, MP for Hithadhoo South.

“If changes to the law are necessary, the resort will be reopened,” Faisal stated.

Shangri-La Villingili Resort has been closed since 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The resort, which employed a large number of Maldivian workers, has now been shut for four years.

Faisal highlighted that reopening the resort is the most pressing issue for Addu’s tourism sector. He mentioned that he had already met with the resort’s management in his first month in office to address the situation.

“Our government has been working for many years, not just these past 10 months, to bring Shangri-La back into operation. The president has promised to reopen the resort as soon as possible, and the Ministry of Tourism is actively working on that,” Faisal said.

The minister emphasised the government’s commitment to resolving the issue swiftly. He added that discussions with the resort’s owners are a priority and a team will soon be sent to expedite the process.

Under the current Tourism Act, there are no provisions to reclaim land leased for tourism development if the resort is built but not operational, provided rent is paid regularly. However, Faisal suggested that legal amendments might be introduced to help facilitate the resort’s reopening.

The government’s 30% stake in Addu Investments Pvt Ltd, the company that operates Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort, was relinquished during former President Ibrahim Mohammed Solih’s administration. Since then, no official statement has been made regarding efforts to restart the resort.

The resort spans 50.6 hectares and has a capacity of 284 beds.